What makes antique temple jewellery so special?
In school, I trained in Bharatanatyam. Serious dancers often arrived adorned in gleaming oddiyanams (belts), elaborate nethi chuttis (hair ornaments) and the unmistakable sun and moon-shaped hair pins that transformed young girls into celestial goddesses. I gave up dancing, but my yearning for these mythological jewellery styles continued. As a South Indian—equal parts Tamil and Malayali, raised in Karnataka—who grew up surrounded by gold shops, displays featuring antique temple designs lured my mum and I more than diamonds ever could.
Originally crafted by artisans who melted down offerings made to deities, temple jewellery carries centuries of devotion within its ornate forms. After trickling down temple idols via meticulously made replicas, these ornaments eventually found their way into the bridal wardrobes of women across South India. The Kanjeevaram sari’s jewellery counterpart. Inspired by temple architecture, the designs feature miniature sculpted deities, flora and fauna in antique-finish gold. Regal, deeply symbolic and unapologetically maximalist, for me, temple jewellery will remain the first purchase of my bridal trousseau I will make…when, then.
1. The oddiyanam, the golden cinch
The oddiyanam—a waist belt— is one temple jewellery style that is passed down as inheritance in South Indian families. Also known as an vaddanam in Telegu or kamarband in Hindi, it accentuates a sari’s pleats, transforming its silhouette. These often feature sculpted motifs of Goddess Lakshmi, rows of kemp stones and intricate repoussé work.
2. Stacked necklaces that reach the waist
Nothing says South Indian bride quite like stacking temple jewellery necklaces—starting with the shortest choker and extending down to the waist. This stack can include manga (mango) or kassa (coin) malai, or a mix of all. “Is she even a bride if she does not look like a Thrissur annai,” is a joke that loosely captures the grandiosity of a bride from Kerala, comparing her to the majestic elephants at the Trissur Pooram festival.
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